


The Rugged Wilderness

by Jonathan_Palmer



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 04:23:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12203811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jonathan_Palmer/pseuds/Jonathan_Palmer
Summary: My take on a darker version of the Harry Potter world. Obviously AU. Harry/ Daphne.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am in no way associated with J K Rowling or Warner Brothers.

** December 9, Present Day **

Child’s Point of View

I woke up to see the sun was just rising over the mountains causing the mountains opposite my window to be bathed in a brilliant orange light. I looked down and saw my mother and father gazing out over the lake with dad. Looking at my clock I saw it was just after half nine in the morning. I quickly got dressed, threw on my boots and parka, and went outside.

 

I called out “Mom?”.

 

“Yes sweetie?” she said with a resigned look on her face.

 

I gulped before asking with bated breath, “Can you please tell me how we came to be living here?

 

“I don’t suppose you’ll accept me saying next year again, will you?.” my mom sighed.

 

I sighed before saying “You’ve said that every year I’ve asked. I’m now twelve, I think I’m old enough, besides they’re going to cover it in history this year in school.”

 

My dad sighed before looking at my mom and saying, “I told you, it’s about time we let them know.”

 

“Are you sure?” my mom asked, “I know you haven’t gotten over it even all these years later.”

 

“I don’t think I ever will.” my father said, “Perhaps it will get better with time after it’s out in the open.”

 

My mother sighed “There’s no talking you out of this, this time is there?”

 

“We owe it to them.” My father said.

 

Sighing, my mother nodded slowly, then turned to me and said, “We’ll eat breakfast, then we’ll talk.”

 

Helping my mother and father down from the rock we began the trek up the dirt track that swerved throughout the snow, up the hill, back to our cabin. Our home was secluded in the woods, although that didn’t mean we didn’t venture out into civilization. It was peaceful. There wasn’t much chance of a rare temper getting the best of someone. If someone needed to let off some steam, instead of shouting at someone, whoever it was would just go for a walk through the hills. Opening the door there were several other people around the table including all my friends.

 

“Are you ready to tell them?”, one of my friend’s parents asked my dad.

 

I looked up at my dad in confusion. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one asking, seeing as my friends were at the table.

 

“Yes.” he sighed, “It’s about time they knew.”

 

“AFTER we’ve had breakfast!” my mom scolded dad.

 

I wasn’t the only one laughing at that, although I was the one that got caught. Unfortunately for me, my friends were able to hide it.

 

“You think this is funny?” she asked, “Then you can make breakfast!”

 

With a huff, she turned heel and stalked over to the sofa.

 

“What do you want me to make mom?” I asked.

 

“You can make sausage biscuits. Now go on, it’s going to be a long day.” she said.

 

“I’m sorry mom.” I whispered.

 

“I know.” was all she said in response.

 

I gathered the camping chairs and set them out in a loose circle around where I would build the campfire. I then ran back into the house catching a glimpse of my friends playing table tennis in the room adjacent to the living room. Heading to the kitchen I got out the trays and plates and took them out to the chair next to where I was sitting on. I then repeated the process to get everything else I needed.

 

When I finally had everything, I made the dough and separated enough biscuits for everyone to have three each. I then placed the uncooked biscuits into the bowl and grabbed the baskets that we used to hold biscuits. Grabbing the cellophane, bowls, and baskets, I hurried outside.

 

Once outside, I grabbed enough of the logs that lay beside the house and walked down the path gathering pine needles and small sticks to feed the fire once it got going.

 

(A/N: For those that don’t know the fire being built here is a self-feeding camp fire. I don’t claim to be any expert on campfires or cooking so if I made a mistake let me know and I’ll do my best to fix it.)

 

When I got back I set the logs up and put some kindling on top. I then unfolded the cooking tripod, hooked the tray in place and placed the biscuits on it.

 

Sitting back on my chair I gazed out over the lake wondering what was so bad about the story that my friends and I were about to be told. After a while one of our dogs, Aurora, came outside and laid down next to my chair while I was idly feeding the fire. She sniffed the packaging of the sausage patties and licked her chops hungrily.

 

Sighing, I said, “Yes, you can have a bit of my breakfast.”

 

Eventually the biscuits were all done and put in the baskets. The only thing left was to do the sausage patties. At that point dad came out put some more logs on the fire and sat in the chair next to me.

 

“How’s breakfast coming along?” he asked.

 

“I just have the sausage patties left to cook then it’ll be done.” I replied.

 

He nodded and relaxed back into his chair, closing his eyes and just listening to the crackling of the fire and the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore. Shortly before the patties were done I nudged my dad who had fallen asleep.

 

“Huh, what?” was his intelligent response.

 

“Breakfast is almost done, care to go get the others?” I asked.

 

“Alright.” he said, before getting up and going inside.

 

I turned back to the patties and started serving them. Once everyone was sat down I started passing around the plates with the sausage patties and biscuits on. Breakfast was a quiet affair, after my friends had done the washing up, my mother let me off since I had cooked, my mother led my friends back to the fire to tell the story.


	2. Chapter 1: The Dead of Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I don’t know how but the characters were changed without my knowing. This was and still is a Daphne/ Harry story. However, Hermione will still be a major character in the story. I apologize to anyone who started following this story after this change was somehow made for the mix up. Also I apologize for the long wait on chapters for all my stories, I almost have the next chapter for The End of Life on Mundus finished. I unfortunately lost the work I had done on the next chapter for Harry Potter and the Dragon Child. I haven’t abandoned any of my stories, I have just been rather busy. Anyway, with my explanations done on with the next chapter.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am in no way associated with J K Rowling or Warner Brothers.

** 1 November 1981 **

Amelia Bones’ Diary

Today Voldemort fell at the hands of the young Harry Potter. This should have been the cause for celebration, if not for the fact that three of our dearest friends died. James and Lily, perished protecting their son. Remus couldn't handle the thought that he was responsible as he recommended James and Lily to use the rat instead of Sirius. He ended up, pushing us all out of the room we were in and then he ran off to grab the bastard rat. Then to top it all off Dumbledore kidnaps Harry and places him in the guardianship of that Dursley, as well as putting that dam place under the fidelius charm! Despite the fact that Sirius and I are at the top of the Potter’s will which means we should’ve gotten custody of Harry. I fear that Dumbledore is pursuing his own agenda.

 

As soon as the bank opens, Sirius and I will go to Gringotts and get the Potter’s copy of their will out of their vault. Then we can take this to the ministry.

 

This war has been costly, and I fear that even though the head of the snake has been chopped off, another head will take its place, much like Medusa.  


 

Amelia Bones’ Perspective

I set down my pen. My diary had been my method of coping with the war since Sirius and I had started going out. I sat back and watched Susan and Hannah, who had both lost their parents last year, playing on the floor with Hermione. Emma Granger was attempting to take comfort that Harry had at least survived but didn’t look to be doing much better than Sirius, who was looking lost. I could tell that he was consumed with grief over the loss of their friends and his inability to take care of our godson. By the time we got there Harry was gone. I gasped, it was almost like Dumbledore knew what was going to happen and was waiting there. Sirius noticed and looked up at me questioningly.

 

“I think Dumbledore was there last night when Lily and James were murdered.” I said taking a deep breath.

 

My head jerked up suddenly hearing a knock on the door, knowing there was only one person outside of the people in this room that knew the address of this house I groaned as I got up to answer the door.

 

Petunia Dursley’s Perspective 

_One Hour Earlier_

I snuck down the stairs having been woken by voices outside, voices I recognized. Tiptoeing up to the front door I put my ear to the door listening to the voices.

 

"Shhh!" hissed a woman, "you'll wake the Muggles!"

 

"S-s-sorry," sobbed a gruff sounding man, "But I c-c-can't stand it -- Lily an' James dead -- an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"

 

My stomach fell, my sister was dead and so was her husband. I had been trying to apologize to James and Lily for how I had treated them. I felt ill as I remembered how badly I had treated both of them. I had no one left now, Vernon was gone killed in a car accident on his way home from work. Lily and James had tried to come and comfort me, but I had pushed them away blaming them for the accident and calling them freaks. They didn’t shout at me, they simply seemed to accept what I said and disappeared with a pop, James holding onto a crying Lily. Over that week I had called them and repeatedly and hatefully blamed them for the accident until eventually they blocked my calls. I tried to drive to their house but found it empty.

 

"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found.” the woman was whispering.

 

I heard something being placed gently on our doorstop and then there was silence for a full minute then another man said "Well, that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." "Yeah," said the now identified Hagrid in a voice that was barely audible through the door, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall -- Professor Dumbledore, sir."

 

I heard a motorbike engine kick into life roar away into the night.

 

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said the second man.

 

Adapted from Harry Potter Philosopher’s Stone Prologue

 

There was a clicking sound and then a couple of soft pops, then silence. I waited, sitting on the floor for what seemed like hours before I remembered them saying about leaving something for me. I opened the door to see what had been left on the doorstep and gasped. It was my nephew, lying there in the cold. I took him inside quickly shutting the door behind me and brought him over to the fire. I sat down on my rocking chair and rocked back and forth crying over my sister’s death. I noticed a letter amongst the blankets.

 

My hands were shaking as I attempted to open it, on the third try I managed to open it and found the sheet of parchment inside to be empty. Remembering what Lily had once told me about spells compelling people to do things just by staring at a sheet of parchment for too long I quickly checked the other side and, finding it empty, crumpled the sheet and flung it into the fire place turning the piece of parchment to ash. I suddenly felt compelled to punish the boy in my arms and was raising my hand to slap him before I caught myself.

 

Fearing that the parchment had started influencing me already I set Harry back in his basket and ran to the loft to retrieve the car seat that Vernon and I had bought when we decided to try and have a child. Picking up Harry and placing him on the seat as I set up the child seat in my car. Once he was fastened in I jumped in the front of the car pulling out of my drive way hoping that Amelia and Sirius still lived where they had when I had last seen them.

 

I parked outside the address a couple hours later having driven, placed Harry inside his basket that he had been left in and walked up to the door and knocked. I didn’t know what would happen, but I would accept whatever they said to me.  


Amelia Bones 1st Person Perspective

I looked through the peep hole and saw who I expected to see and someone I didn’t. It seems impossible for him to be here but there he is, my godson. Opening the door, I motioned for Petunia, who looks like she has been crying, to come in. Quickly shutting the door behind her, I suddenly found baby Harry being forced into my arms by Petunia. To say that I was shocked is like saying ice is cold, accurate , but not really describing it very well.

 

“Why are you here?” I asked struggling to get my bearings back together.

 

“I had to get both of myself and Harry away from Privet Drive.” Petunia said, “He was just left on my doorstep like a newspaper a couple hours ago.” There was a letter left with him that had a blank piece of parchment in it, which I threw in the fire.”

 

“That doesn’t explain why you came here, after all the things you said to Lilly and James, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, nor do I want to.” I retorted. Truth be told I still haven't quite forgiven her for how she treated James and Lily.

 

Petunia started crying again as she dejectedly said “I came here because I fear that the parchment had a spell on it. Shortly after I touched it I was filled with the urge to punish him. If you want me to leave then I’ll go. I’ve been trying to contact Lily and James to apologize but they had blocked my calls and my letters never found them. I was just so consumed with Vernon’s death that I vented my anger on them and pushed them away. I’ve lost all my family, and I doubt you want me anywhere near you.”

My heart softened a bit, I brought my wand up and ran a scan on Petunia and I didn’t like the results I saw. “There are multiple compulsion charms on you which would force you to physically abuse Harry, they appear to be weak though. It would appear that they would increase over time.” I said, performing more diagnostic spells trying to determine who put the charms on Petunia and how long each had been there. The weakest compulsion seemed to be from when Vernon was killed and seemed to be the reason she had spoken to James and Lily like she had. The numerous others were from about an hour ago. They all had Albus Dumbledore’s magical signature. I quickly went about dispelling all of the counter charms and led a weeping Petunia to a chair in the living room.

 

“Stay as long as you need to tonight.” I said, “We'll be back down in a few minutes.”.

 

I motioned to a confused Sirius and Emma to follow me upstairs as a theory occurred to me.

 

When we reached our bedroom I shut the door and put up silencing charms around the room that allowed sound in but no sound out as I knew with the number of compulsion charms removed from her, Petunia would need some rest.

 

“What’s going on Amelia?” Sirius asked, “What’s she doing here?”

 

I sighed, guessing that the only reason Sirius hadn’t complained earlier was because I had our godson in my arms.

 

“Do you remember what I said five, ten minutes ago Sirius?” I asked.

 

“You said that you think Albus knew about the attack on the Potters.” Sirius said.

 

“Well I’m almost certain he did plan it or at least around it happening. I just removed more compulsion charms from Petunia than I can even count. All but one were trying to compel her to hurt Harry as much as possible. Without killing him.” I told them.

 

“And the last one?” Emma asked in a whisper.

 

“It was behind what she did after Vernon died.” I said still regretting how I treated her earlier.

 

“So what does that have to do with the three of us?” Sirius asked.

 

“I want to check all of us for compulsion charms.” I said.

 

“It's a reasonable assumption.” Emma agreed.

 

I checked myself and found nothing. Stumped, I scanned Sirius and Emma and found multiple compulsion charms on them. I was really confused by the results , until I remembered that your magic can't detect or remove compulsion charms from yourself as the detection spell masks the charms. I quickly removed the charms from Sirius and Emma which were light compulsion charms that had been triggered each time Petunia had raged at one of us.

 

Once they were removed I told the other two what the charms consisted of. Sirius quickly had the compulsion charms removed from me as well.

 

I got up and opened the door just in time to see a dull grey light illuminate the entire house and heard Petunia and the other children scream and blacked out after seeing a large grey animal in the middle of our living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope you enjoyed this and please review.


	3. Chapter 2: Reflections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am in no way associated with JK Rowling or Warner Brothers.
> 
> A/N: It should be noted that apparition doesn’t exist in this story.

** Time Unknown, Date Unknown **

** Amelia Bones’ Perspective **

I awoke to a completely different house than I was just in moments before blacking out, and yet it was familiar. I looked up to see the sun shining in and that I was the only one awake so far. The, whatever it was I saw, was gone. We were all sitting on furniture that was shaped like a crescent shaped sofa around an armchair. I then did a double take. There were two additional children on the sofa, both were girls. One had blonde hair, and the other had dark brown hair.

 

As I took in my surroundings I realised that this was our house, at least our house before I moved in with Sirius. That was when a woman came in from the kitchen. She was wearing a white hooded robe with leaves ranging from spring to fall assembled all over it from many different trees and flowing behind it creating a sort of cloak. She had silvery hair that reached her shoulders, pale skin, and light blue eyes. I went to grab my wand but then thought better of it seeing as I was at an informational disadvantage and for all I knew this was someone who owned our house prior to us moving in. she came and sat down in the chair in the middle of the sofa and waved a hand waking everyone else up, bar the kids.

 

“I assume you have questions like what did you see before you blacked out, who I am, and how you got here?” she asked.

 

We could only nod.

 

“Well, suffice to say I’m the reason you got here, what you saw before you blacked out, and as for who I am, my name is Dakota. I’m what you might call a shapeshifter.” she said. “However, I’m not human, I’m actually a wolf that can use magic. I learned to shapeshift into a human when I was very young and grew up around both wolves and humans. I eventually taught the other wolves and now our entire pack knows how to do this. I also was born with the rare ability to see into the future and as I grew older I learned, through an old forgotten tome, I discovered how to travel in time. My form of time travel is rather limited. You can’t go forwards in time, only back. For this reason, I rarely ever use this form of time travel. Only my pack elders know of this knowledge, and now you. I brought us ten years into the past because you would have been killed by twenty or more death eaters coming to kill you. As for why ten years, the house wasn’t moved into until tomorrow, which avoids complications with other families, or your past selves.”

 

“Why are you here though?” Emma asked, who still appeared a little frightened about the mysterious woman or wolf. “I mean what difference would it have made to you if we lived or died in this attack?”

 

“I was upholding a promise I made to two sets of parents in secret. Harry’s, and Daphne Greengrass’, the blonde pup. The other girl was adopted by Daphne’s parents after her’s were killed by death eaters. Her name, is Tracey Davis.”

 

“But the Greengrasses were affiliated with the death eaters!” I exclaimed.

 

“Most were.” Dakota said, “But Daphne’s parents refused and knew that they would be targets and so they began searching for a means of protection, much like Harry’s parents. They both ended up using a spell that made a prayer to my pack. Most of my pack wanted to ignore it but I was one of the few that remembered that if we heard it, then the magic of our land had judged them to be needing assistance, and not wanting to take advantage of, or enslave one or more of us. It is of course within our right to leave it be, however, I wanted to find out why someone would be calling us. It was after all, a spell I created, and secretly sent to every country in the world. The tomes that contained it were designed so only those who were most desperate, and who the tome found worthy would be able to find it. I went to the Potters first who were already in hiding at the time. I listened to their story and told them I was willing to help them, and that there was one other family that had requested my help. They told me to go and see the other family before coming back for them. They were convinced their fidelius charm would protect them better than following me to the other family. I went to the Greengrasses and talked with them and discussed what I discussed with the Potters. I would bring them back with me to my homeland where they would be allowed to live with my pack. They agreed and were packing their belongings up when the death eaters came. Their last wish was for me to take their children and leave them. I never even got the chance to argue as they were killed right in front of me. I grabbed the two children, jumped out of the window, and fled into the woods that surrounded their house. By the time I reached the Potter’s house they were dead, and Harry was nowhere to be seen. I started trying to pick up a scent and that scent lead me first to a house in Surrey that had sickening wards surrounding the house. The scent eventually led me to your house where death eaters were approaching your house. I came in through the back door in my true form, and brought us all back.”

 

I asked the question that must’ve been on everyone’s mind, “What happens now?”

 

“Well you can’t stay in England for the next ten years, if you ran into yourself you would go mad. If you want to, I can take you to where I was going to take the Potters and Greengrasses.”

 

“And where is that?” Sirius asked, a little miffed at being told he couldn’t stay in England.

 

“I understand your frustration at the situation, but isn’t it better than being dead?” Dakota asked.

 

Sirius opened his mouth to retort when I cut across him, “If she’s right, and we have no reason to doubt her at this point, then we would be dead. We couldn’t have fought the death eaters in ten to one odds.” Sirius grudgingly agreed.

 

“I live not far from Anchorage, Alaska.” Dakota said.

 

“How would we pay for it?” I asked.

 

“I will.” Dakota said.

 

“But won’t your past-self, wonder where the money went?” Emma asked.

 

“I did, but one of the elders in my pack told me not much longer from now that I hadn’t done it yet. I can only assume I sent him a message so that he would be able to tell me.” Dakota said.

 

“What about passports?” I asked, “We don’t have any with us, in fact I think Emma and Petunia are the only ones that have owned a passport.”

 

“Goblins can make them, for a price, which again I’ll provide the money for.” Dakota said.

 

“We’ll pay you back.” Emma said.

 

“It’s really not necessary, you won’t have the money to pay me back for a while yet in any case.” Dakota tried.

 

“I insist.” Emma remarked not budging an inch, “We may not be able to pay you back when we get there, but we can pay you back over time.

 

“Ok, ok, but only when you can afford it! I won’t take money when you need it, although if you do insist on paying me back, I wouldn’t mind a place to stay for the next ten years with the two girls.” Dakota said seeing it was pointless to argue with Emma.

 

Emma looked at me, Sirius, and then Petunia. When we each nodded our agreement she said, “That would be fine.”

 

“How long will it take us to get to the goblins?” Dakota asked.

 

“Well, to get to Gringotts from Southampton, it shouldn’t take us much more than three hours.” I said.

 

“How are we getting to Alaska though?” I asked.

 

“By plane.” Dakota said. “We should probably visit a travel agent while we are in London, so we can get a ticket as soon as possible.

 

“Well, before we can get plane tickets, we will have to get passports, and before we can get passports, we will need a way to push the children.” Petunia said.

 

“There’s a John Lewis about fifteen minutes walk away.” I said.

 

“I’ll stay here if that’s okay with you, I need a rest from all the running I’ve been doing. While I took the train early on, when I was being pursued, I didn’t have much choice other than to run.” Dakota said handing over three hundred pounds.

 

I nodded, accepting the money and putting it in one of my pockets, before saying “Petunia, Emma, and I can go pick up three double pushchairs.”

 

As we set out I knew that once we left we wouldn’t return unless we absolutely had to. Given what Dumbledore had done, combined with Voldemort and his death eaters, as well as the corruption that was rife in the ministry, hell the common population were extremely judgemental for the most part. Sirius and I had already discussed if we would leave the war, and England behind. We started discussing this shortly after we had rescued Emma and Hermione from a death eater attack. They had already tortured Emma’s husband until he was nothing but an empty shell by the time we got there and were in the middle of forcing Emma’s clothing off of her when we attacked. We barely managed to get her and her daughter out as just before the last death eater died, he or she had cast fiendfyre in the Granger’s home leaving Emma’s husband to be consumed in the flames. It was at this time that we offered to let Emma and her daughter Hermione stay at our home, to which she gratefully accepted.

 

Even after she and Hermione were settled, she still clung to us like a safety blanket. It took a year for things to settle down with Emma, although it was more a case of Lily helping to heal her from the traumatic events that she had gone through, since she was a mind healer. All James, Sirius and I could do, was to be there for her when she needed us.

 

After Emma had recovered from her ordeal we involved her in the discussions, seeing as she was practically living with us now. Emma said that she didn’t care one way or the other as she had nothing left in England, apart from Hermione.

 

However, I was unsure whether I wanted to involve Petunia in those discussions yet. I knew it was wrong to judge her for something that wasn’t her fault, but at the same time some of those insults had been directed at Emma specifically which had made her recovery process a lot longer than it should’ve been according to Lily. I decided to discuss it with Sirius and Emma later.

 

** Sirius Black’s Perspective **

I sat back down with the kids having seen Amelia, Emma, and Petunia out the door, finally letting go of my emotions, and letting the tears fall over my fallen friends. I still can’t help but feel that I’m responsible for this mess. I recommended that we use Peter instead of me or Remus, because it was so unlikely someone would ever suspect him, I honestly don’t know what to do, part of me wants to stay in England after this time travel stuff is done, but a larger part of me knows that even with Voldemort dead, and I don’t really believe that he’s dead seeing as no body was recovered, the death eaters would get away with murder and worse. Most of the wizarding public ran when the death eaters attacked, and those that did fight back were either killed by the death eaters anyway, or were sent to Azkaban on trumped up charges, simply for defending themselves. I knew that things wouldn’t get any better, any time soon. I barely registered that Dakota had sat down next to me.

 

“I know that look, Mr. Black.” Dakota said.

 

“What look?” I asked.

 

“I’ve seen that look countless times before in my pack, but never as lost or conflicted as you look.” Dakota said.

 

I decided to try and get over my grudge. “I got two of my best friends killed, and a third, I don’t know where he is. If that wasn’t enough of a screw up, I almost got my godson killed, and if it wasn’t for Petunia who up until an hour ago I thought hated me. To top it all off, I find out that all of us including Petunia, were forced to act the way we did by someone we trusted.”

 

“Well, answer me this Mr. Black, was there anything you could have done differently, with the information you had at the time?” Dakota asked.

 

I sighed and shook my head. “Secretly I’m glad we won’t be seeing anyone from England for at least ten years, I don’t think I could take it. I’m not even sure I want to return.” I whispered.

 

Dakota only nodded.

 

** One Hour Later **

** Emma Granger’s  Perspective **

I wondered what we would do once we got to Alaska. I mean I have qualifications but I can hardly use them. Partly because I don't have them with me. But mostly because I can hardly say that I got my degree in the future.

 

“What are we going to do for jobs” I whispered as we waited in the queue.

 

“Probably menial jobs for the time being.” Amelia whispered back.

 

“Would you hurry up?” someone hissed behind us, “You're holding up the queue!”

 

“Sorry.” I said.

 

We handed the three double pushchairs over the counter and Amelia paid the three hundred pounds.

 

As we walked back home I found myself wondering what would happen back in our time when we were discovered missing. Probably nothing for me, I thought, considering to most of them, I’m just a disgusting creature at the worst, and an unimportant muggle at the best. Amelia and Sirius quit the ministry last week so they probably won't be missed either. Of the four of us adults, Petunia is probably the only one that might be missed, and only by Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix, well whatever’s left of it.

 

As we turned the corner into the neighbourhood I couldn't help but get the feeling that this would be the last time I set my eyes on what had been my home for the past year.

 

** Amelia Bones’ Perspective **

I unlocked the door with the key Dakota had given me and after we put the pushchairs in the closet we entered the living room.

 

Dakota was back in her wolf form sleeping by the roaring fireplace. Some of the kids were crawling around on the floor and playing with each other. Sirius was much the same as Dakota, only he was sleeping on one of the sofas. Where a chair had been before there was now a wooden table.

 

I sat down next to Sirius and watched as the kids played on the floor. Only Harry, Daphne, and Tracey weren't playing. Tracey was cuddled up against Dakota’s fur while shaking like a leaf. Harry meanwhile looked like he was trying to comfort Daphne who was quietly sobbing into his t-shirt.

 

At that moment a soft blue glow started coalescing around Daphne and Harry. I couldn’t believe it, I mean soul bonds were just a myth, but here it was, occurring right in front of us. I then saw Emma and Petunia starting to go towards the two.

 

“Emma, Petunia stop!” I exclaimed, knowing that from what I knew of the myths it could be very dangerous to try and stop or interfere with the process.

 

“What? Why!” Emma hissed back.

 

Seeing the blue glow fade away I leaned back in my seat. “They were just soul bound, meaning magic herself has bound them together for the rest of their lives. It’s so unheard of the only recorded occurrence of this dates back to the time of Merlin and King Arthur. Our version of the events differs slightly from the non-magical version in that Morgan Le Fay was not an enemy of Arthur and Merlin, she was Merlin’s wife. As the legend goes, magic herself visited them and bound their souls together. No one else could see her, but they did see a blue glow surrounding them for a few minutes. Some people say that one person did attempt to touch one or both of them and ended up being severely injured.” I explained quietly.

 

“So, what happens to them now?” Petunia asked.

 

“Well, effectively they’re married now.” I said, “As far as I know it’s permanent.”

 

I looked up at a clock hanging above the fireplace and noticed it was half past twelve. If the house was being moved into tomorrow, we needed to be gone by tonight. The Leaky Cauldron was obviously out of the question as people would recognize Sirius and I, not to mention we could run into our past selves. Knowing we had to plan I decided to wake up Sirius and Dakota.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope you enjoyed the second chapter of this story. If you have the time please leave a review as it really does help keep me motivated.
> 
> For those of you who are also following my other stories, I am working on them. Their status can be found below.
> 
> Harry Potter and the Dragon Child: I am about a quarter of the way through the next chapter. It is a little slow going so please bear with me.
> 
> The End of Life on Mundus: I have probably three quarters of the next chapter completed. Part of it is proving rather difficult to put into words, but should hopefully be out soon.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Please review.


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